applecare - now vs later

im gonna buy a macbook later this week, regardless or update or not. i am also highly considering applecare. i know i can buy it within the one year standard apple warranty. my question is, is there any difference between me buying it now vs say 11 months from purchase? ill have phone support for 90 days, and then just warranty for up to month 11. once i buy applecare in month 11, i get phone support back and warranty for 3 yrs from date of purchase. is this correct? thanks

How AppleCare works: When you buy your computer you get 90 days free phone support and one year of repairs. If you buy AppleCare it extends your phone and repair support to 3 years when they run out, so when the 90 days is up then the apple care starts. So if you bought the Apple care 11 months after purchase then for the first 90 days of owning the computer you would have then free phone support, then it would run out and then start again when you buy applecare.

so the only thing im really losing the is the phone support. how advantageous is that? i have an apple store like less than 2km from my house so i could pop in their when i have problems. im only holding back because i'm a student and don't know if i can afford paying for this now or in the summer when i have a job. thanks

so the only thing im really losing the is the phone support. how advantageous is that? i have an apple store like less than 2km from my house so i could pop in their when i have problems. im only holding back because i'm a student and don't know if i can afford paying for this now or in the summer when i have a job. thanks

Click to expand...

Yes, that's all you're loosing and as long as it's convenient for you go get to a store when you need to you won't miss it much. Unless you're at Uni and you have a problem... then a call will cost you quite a bit (not sure of the exact amount)

Assuming that all months are 30 days and you buy a MB on Jan 1, 2000:
Your MB will have Applecare warranty until Jan 1, 2001. You will have phone support until Apr 1, 2001. If at any time between Jan 1, 2000 and Jan 1, 2001 you buy Applecare, you will receive phone support and warranty until Jan 1, 2003, regardless of when between Jan 1, 2000 and Jan 1, 2001 you bought Applecare.

Phone support isn't that important, as long as you have access to a store or CompUSA. I would say that waiting for a while is a good idea; you might find that your MB is solid and you don't want Applecare, or you might find that you're selling it in 9 months and the buyer isn't going to factor in Applecare's cost as much as you'd have liked. Also, if anything stupid happens to your MB (such as if you have it stolen, or if you drop it) Applecare will just go to waste.

Apple will give you a discount if you buy it at the same time as the computer, so you do lose that. However, you can buy from places other than Apple (say, LA Computer) and get an even better deal. If you want it, just don't forget to get it. Once the year is up you can not buy it.

If you have the money spend it know and decide within 14 days (return period) how you feel about it. I say this because I was given $50 off of my apple care since I purchased it alongside my mac pro (both were purchased at the Menlo Park - Apple Store)

How about not buying AppleCare at all? When I think of all the thousands I could have spent on AppleCare, I'm so happy that I never spent all those thousands on AppleCare. As for the phone support, you're likely to get better answers to your questions here. Except about buying AppleCare. Let us pause for a moment to ponder the irony...

How about not buying AppleCare at all? When I think of all the thousands I could have spent on AppleCare, I'm so happy that I never spent all those thousands on AppleCare. As for the phone support, you're likely to get better answers to your questions here. Except about buying AppleCare. Let us pause for a moment to ponder the irony...

Click to expand...

I'm not sure about laptop failure rate, but I figured that if there weren't problems by the end of the first year, my laptop would probably be all right. Besides, if Applecare is 1/5th the price of a laptop, then statistically Apple should be only expecting 1 in 5+ laptops to completely fail.

Now I'm regretting it, as my PB just hit some kernal panics. Because of this, I won't be selling it, at least until (or if) I get it fixed. If wiping the HD and doing a clean install doesn't fix it, I'm hundreds of dollars in the hole, which I could have been spared had I bought AppleCare.

I'm not sure about laptop failure rate, but I figured that if there weren't problems by the end of the first year, my laptop would probably be all right. Besides, if Applecare is 1/5th the price of a laptop, then statistically Apple should be only expecting 1 in 5+ laptops to completely fail.

Now I'm regretting it, as my PB just hit some kernal panics. Because of this, I won't be selling it, at least until (or if) I get it fixed. If wiping the HD and doing a clean install doesn't fix it, I'm hundreds of dollars in the hole, which I could have been spared had I bought AppleCare.

Click to expand...

AppleCare costs hundreds, so you're in the hole to start if you buy it. Consider that Apple prices AppleCare such that it makes a profit. This means that on average the buyers of the policies are the losers. Your first instinct is correct: the most likely time for the computer to fail is within the first year. After that, the replacement value of the machine begins to drop fairly drastically to the extent that by the end of the policy term, you've probably paid out close to 50% of the depreciated value of the item insuring it. This is not a good assignment of funds, in my book at least.

As for your kernel panics, wiping the hard drive and reinstalling is very, very unlikely to help.

I just wanted to mention that PHONE SUPPORT is really SOFTWARE SUPPORT. That is all you are getting more out of it. If you were to call them after the 90 days, because your system is dying out due to hardware issues, they will assist you. If you are calling them of how to change your desktop wallpaper, they would charge you after the 90 days.

Phone Support worth it? Hell no to me. Im putting it off for sometime before I decide to buy AppleCare

im gonna buy a macbook later this week, regardless or update or not. i am also highly considering applecare. i know i can buy it within the one year standard apple warranty. my question is, is there any difference between me buying it now vs say 11 months from purchase? ill have phone support for 90 days, and then just warranty for up to month 11. once i buy applecare in month 11, i get phone support back and warranty for 3 yrs from date of purchase. is this correct? thanks

Click to expand...

All I know is that I bought stupid Applecare, and it cost a TON of $$, i've got under a year left of it, and I've never used it once, not a phone call....nuthin.

Here's an interesting article which underscores what really happens with extended warranties.

If Applecare didn't make a lot of money for retailers, then they wouldn't push agressively. When I was deciding on which Mac to get to replace my PC, virtually every Apple salesperson I talked to pushed Applecare hard, though not enough to make me uncomfortable.

Computers are expensive machines to put together and the margins are way less than say that $1 (if that) USB connector that people buy for $19 at the Apple Store.

Here's an interesting article which underscores what really happens with extended warranties.

If Applecare didn't make a lot of money for retailers, then they wouldn't push agressively. When I was deciding on which Mac to get to replace my PC, virtually every Apple salesperson I talked to pushed Applecare hard, though not enough to make me uncomfortable.

Computers are expensive machines to put together and the margins are way less than say that $1 (if that) USB connector that people buy for $19 at the Apple Store.

Click to expand...

Good article -- an eye-opener I hope for people who are thinking about buying AppleCare or who recommend that others do. AppleCare is a lot like extended automobile warranties, which are pushed on all new car buyers. Why? Because they are extremely profitable -- more profitable even than selling the product itself.

Here's an interesting article which underscores what really happens with extended warranties.

If Applecare didn't make a lot of money for retailers, then they wouldn't push agressively. When I was deciding on which Mac to get to replace my PC, virtually every Apple salesperson I talked to pushed Applecare hard, though not enough to make me uncomfortable.

Computers are expensive machines to put together and the margins are way less than say that $1 (if that) USB connector that people buy for $19 at the Apple Store.

Click to expand...

This is definitely true. Though if you do puchase something like AppleCare, buy it with the intent of actually using it. In my case, very extended warranty I've purchased, I've been more attentive to product issues than if the warranty isn't there. I make sure to have every minor issue resolved and, even if there isn't a large problem, feel that not only is the product better, but the warranty purchase has been validated. Obviously this isn't for everyone, but it's a way to justify the purchase of the warranty.

This is definitely true. Though if you do puchase something like AppleCare, buy it with the intent of actually using it. In my case, very extended warranty I've purchased, I've been more attentive to product issues than if the warranty isn't there. I make sure to have every minor issue resolved and, even if there isn't a large problem, feel that not only is the product better, but the warranty purchase has been validated. Obviously this isn't for everyone, but it's a way to justify the purchase of the warranty.

MacRumors attracts a broad audience
of both consumers and professionals interested in
the latest technologies and products. We also boast an active community focused on
purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac platforms.